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With thanks and love,
little lady

Commitment Issues

Just as I was getting momentum back, life got in the way (again), and I find myself apologizing for lack of posts.  A summer cold, late hours at work, birthday celebrations, and lots of time spent going out on weeknights and on the weekends would lead one to think I'd have so much to write about that "daily" posts wouldn't be so hard to accomplish.

But alas, I have always been known to have commitment issues.

I'm leaving for a West Coast vacation in 12 days and can promise lots and lots of pictures to follow that adventure : )

In the meantime, know that I am alive and well (despite this cold).

Until next time,
LL

"B" for Best

finally found my way

I'll admit it.  I am a letter snob.

Thanks to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, every restaurant in the city has a big letter displayed in their window to show the world what "grade" their kitchen ranks in cleanliness.  Although the grade has no reflection on the quality or taste of the restaurant's food, it does weigh heavily on my choice to dine there or not.

I wander around the city proudly reading off "A"s from restaurants whose stellar scores impress me, and cast dirty looks while speaking in my most disgusted voice at the city's "B"s.  I can't recall any "C"s I've seen in person, but I hear they exist.  Also, "Grade Pending" is always a red flag for me.

A few months ago I posted The Burger List and named Corner Bistro as one of the burgers I wanted to try.  This Saturday, Brian and I found ourselves in the West Village and craving some meat.  To Corner Bistro we went!

Brian had dined there before and told me that he feels the great ratings and reviews and claims of being NYC's "best burger" have turned this once neighborhood-y WV staple into a bit of a tourist trap.  Considering we were the only ones speaking English in the dining room I'd say his prediction had certainly become a fact.  We both opted for the Bistro Burger - the Corner's version of a bacon cheeseburger, and 2 orders of fries.  The fries weren't bad, not great, but the burger, the burger was simply amazing.  I snuck a peek into the teeny kitchen and saw rows and rows of beef patties being broiled in an oven that looked like it's been there for decades - and never cleaned.  The burger had a true "burger" taste.  It was HUGE, and by the end, the bottom bun had disintegrated after soaking up all the juices.

At $7.50 a pop, I'd say it'd be tough to match a burger as good in quality and quantity.

With full bellies and satisfied appetites we walked back into the weekend heat to snap a few exterior pictures.  And    there    it     was, right in the window . . .

"B"


I was shocked.
I was appalled.
It was so good!  How, HOW could they have a "B"???

I'll chock it up to burger.  When a place has been named the "best" something, I'd like to assume that 110% of their efforts go toward maintaining that statement (and perhaps not the kitchen's cleanliness).

Corner Bistro most certainly has one of the BEST burgers this city has to offer.  They get an "A" in my book.

cheap drinks, hot day, happy lady

blurry, but you can def see the mountain of BACON

"BEST in NY"

Lovely

two words:  pork belly

This week's list of lovelies:

- walking through the farmer's market on the way to work this morning and smelling the fresh foods and flowers

- the gorgeous flowers that have been on my desk since Monday

- babysitting tonight and getting to see my favorite 2-year-old

- crossing everything off my To Do list (best feeling ever!)

- the weather lately (none of this 90-something-degree nonsense anymore)

- 21 days til vacation!

- getting to set-up my newly fixed iPod Touch - it's like getting it brand new all over again :)

- the awesome, green Skullcandy earbuds I scored for $8

- being eversothankful that S & S introduced me to the pork buns at momofuku

- finally getting a table (well, counter) at Peels and having fried chicken dreams every night since

- finding time to work on my blog (love love love)

If you're looking for a sweet treat this weekend, you MUST try the cereal milk soft serve with corn flakes at Milk Bar. To. Die. For.

I hope everyone had a week of their own lovelies.

Love,
little lady

Shmancy.

Restaurant Week seems like a good idea in theory.  You finally get to eat at that fancy place you've walked by a hundred times, sweaty palms pressed against the window, looking longingly at all those rich people eating caviar-this and truffle-that. 

The day arrives.  8PM reso for you and your closest friends. 

Bread basket:  Amazing.  Granted, I was famished.  I was about 30 seconds away from gnawing on the table legs.  I even said to one of my friends, "Is this one of those fancy places where you don't get bread?"
Appetizer:  Good.  Not great.
Entree:  Awful.  Had I ordered it during any week without "Restaurant" in the title I would have sent it back.  And listen, I don't send meals back.  But this was bad.  (See the episode of Next Food Network Star where Wolfgang Puck teaches Jyll to make risotto.  And I quote, "This is not a risotto.")
Dessert:  Itwasokay.

Basically, it all comes down to company.  And I have a pretty amazing group of pals in which to not enjoy my meals with : )

Other than that, I think a 3-course meal for $35 in NYC still sounds appealing, but clearly you can't expect the same quality.

City on fire.

from a rooftop in Gramercy

Spent the 4th walking the High Line, cooking-out with friends in the East Village, and watching the fireworks from the roof.  Despite the heat, it was a wonderful holiday.

Closer to 30

I'm officially closer in age to 30 than 20 now.

Being halfway through my 20's, I can say with total confidence that this decade is shaping up to be the most difficult, the most fun, the scariest, the awesomest decade in my life. I cannot wait to say the same thing about my 30's.

Here's a shot from my fave plave in NYC during my birthday. Compliments of this guy.

c/o Brian